Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Coastal
Rising temperatures and sunny skies on Sunday will likely trigger loose wet avalanches on steep slopes facing the sun.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Minimize exposure to sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
- Watch for signs that the snow is heating up such as pin-wheeling or the surface snow becoming moist.
- Cornices become weak with daytime heating. Give them a wide berth both from above and below.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Sunshine may cause recently formed wind slabs to become more reactive to human triggers.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid areas that look freshly loaded with snow; especially convex features below ridgetops.
- Travel on ridgetops to avoid wind loaded slopes.
- Use caution when transitioning into wind effected terrain.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported in this region on Friday. On Wednesday, a size 2.5 persistent slab avalanche was remotely triggered by a group of skiers on a ridgetop from 10 m away. The avalanche failed on surface hoar about 70 cm deep on a north aspect at 1800 m. A size 2 wet slab was triggered by day-time warming in the same area near Bear Pass.
Snowpack Summary
10-20 cm of recent storm snow and strong variable winds have formed wind slabs on a variety of aspects at treeline and above.
In the south of the region, two layers of surface hoar are buried approximately 70-100 cm deep. The layers are most prominent on north to east aspects and were buried early-March and mid-March. In the north of the region, these layers are around 40 cm deep.
Bellow these March layers the mid-pack is generally well-settled and strong. However, shallower parts of the region, such as the far north, have weak sugary facets near the bottom of the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Light northeasterly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperature +2. Freezing level rising to around 1400 m.
MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Light northeasterly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperature 0. Freezing level around 1200 m.
TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy with sunny breaks. Light southwesterly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperature -1. Freezing level around 1100 m.
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When the sun comes out it will quickly weaken the new snow and cause loose wet avalanching on steep solar slopes.